The Girl Who Played in the Desert
by Aquaheart
Summary: Do I know her? I think I do; at least I hope I do. Does she know me? Of course. She knows me better than I know myself. So why did I get caught up with a girl who can only surpass me in every aspect? Shikamaru


**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it shouldn't even have to be said. **

They called her Temari of the Sand, the sister to the Kazekage, the fan-wielder, and so much more. But I knew her as one thing; beautiful. And I'm not talking about her looks either. Any guy could see that she was attractive, with her blonde hair, lean figure, and captivating blue eyes, but I saw something more. In her hair I saw the desert, her home. It was the place where she rooted her loyalty and the place where she had her hopes and dreams. Suna is a hard place to live in and just by calling this harsh, barren land home, anyone could see how tough she was. Her body which was marred by scars proved her bravery and loyalty and her never-wavering will to fight for what she believed in. More than once I've seen her fight and she was never one to lose focus. Those azure eyes held the look of determination and power.

She had a sharp tongue and wasn't afraid to speak her mind. Her abilities were incredible too. She could attack and defend simultaneously, a handy skill to have when she was saving my butt. More impressive than her physical characteristics though, was her mind. She could analyze every little detail of a battle and be able to perfectly understand a person, no matter how complex they were. Heh, she even got me and I hardly understand myself sometimes. The emotions which she kept buried deep within her soul were astounding. Once, when she and I were alone on the hills watching clouds, she confided in me her feelings of torment and sorrow. She told me about her mother, whom she had loved and missed so much. She told me about how she had felt when she realized it was her father who had killed her mother and that it was his doing that tore their family apart. In that brief moment in time, I could only imagine what she had gone through in the past. All the cruelty and suffering that she had endured, through it all, she never said a word.

Even when Konoha was attacked, Suna was only acting on an order from their supposed Kazekage, but even then, Temari didn't want to shed blood. She cared about people, though she didn't show it. Her personality was hard to read and a lot of people only saw the hard, fiery shell. Inside, she wasn't a total softy, but she did have feelings. She cared about her brothers and was happy for Gaara when he became the next Kazekage after their father.

When she told me that, I was surprised. How could someone go through life everyday with such a weight on her shoulders and not say a thing? She was strong alright. It must have taken a toll on her to have to deal with so many misgivings in her life, but she never complained. That was another thing I liked about her. No matter how lazy I was or how much work she had to do, she did it all without complaining.

This wasn't to say that she was afraid to speak out because she certainly wasn't. When I didn't do something that she had told me to do, I always expected a sharp tongue or to be lashed out at, but she said nothing. She didn't need to. It was through her actions that I learned to read Temari. The way she would reply with curt answers, the way she would slam a glass unnecessarily loud on a desk, and the way she would look at me when I had done something wrong, it was visible to me. The atmosphere seemed to change around her, like it was alive.

The air was electrified and intense, not a welcome place for most people. But with me, she managed to let her guard down. I feel like I actually gave her time to be herself and not defensive like she usually was. With me, I could feel the static diminish until it was nothing but a soft glow on her. I knew that she trusted me and I still can't believe she did because I can't even trust myself sometimes. She gave me her heart, which is my most valuable possession. She had faith that I wouldn't break it and because of that, I owe her everything.

She has my heart too, and I'm certain that she'll treasure it the way I treasure hers. In fact, everything that has meaning to me belongs to Temari because the only thing in my life that has meaning _is _Temari. Everything about her captivates me, hypnotizes me in ways that are surreal. Every day I wake up and wonder if she was just a dream that I had conjugated in my mind. But no, each and every day I find that she was real. Temari couldn't sing, but she could dance.

When we were sparring, the way she controlled her fan captivated and mesmerized me. She was able to maneuver her fan with such liquid fluidness that it was as if she was performing a graceful ballet, rather than attacking her enemy. The motions of which she went through with such ease and allure, almost made getting hit worth it. Almost, because if you were hit, you'd be dead. And as much as I loved to watch her play with that fan, I'd rather live to see it another day. Then again, if I died, I'd be happy. I hope I die that way, watching her dance with her fan. And who knows? Maybe one day, I'll get my wish.

Shikamaru stepped off the podium as he saw the crowd wipe the tears from their eyes. He turned his head to the right and saw the coffin, with Temari's picture on it. Her fan was closed and placed along-side it, with flowers adorning the perimeter. As he passed the coffin, he wiped tears from his own eyes and looked at her photo.

_You've seen me cry twice now, Temari. _He thought.

Making his way back into his seat, he noticed the stoic face of Gaara, who sat next to him. Though on the outside he looked unemotional, Shikamaru had known him long enough to see the sorrow on his face. Kankuro was seated next to him, his hood was drawn and his face free of make-up.

"I'm sorry Shikamaru, I know you really loved her." Naruto said from his other side.

He didn't respond, but his friend understood.

"Good bye Temari, I'll always love you." He whispered, looking up into the heavens.

At that moment, he swore he could see Temari in her black kimono, her fan poised behind her and a smile on her face as she taunted him in delight.

A/N: What did you guys think? Bittersweet enough?


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